The weather in Ontario this May has been incredible – unseasonably warm (hot even!) and very dry, which is unusual. It feels like it could be mid-July instead of the end of May. If this is any indication of what’s ahead, we’re in for quite a summer.

When the weather heats up, naturally we look for ways to cool down. Iced tea, ice cream, lemonade and popsicles are just some of the treats that keep us cool. For many adults, enjoying some frosty beverages on a patio is the perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon with friends.

I was at the farmer’s market this morning and local strawberries were abundant. There were also a number of vendors selling bunches of fresh mint. It was then that I had a light-bulb moment: hot weather + front porch + strawberries + mint = strawberry mojitos! A mojito is a Cuban cocktail traditionally made with rum, lime, mint , sugar and sparkling water. I first learned to make them while attending a wedding in Cuba. The resort we were staying at had a demonstration one day on how to make Cuban cocktails such as Mojitos, Cuba Libres and Hemingway Specials. The key to making a proper mojito is to muddle the mint well. There are wooden muddlers that you can buy but a wooden spoon will work just fine.

Balance is important in this drink – you don’t want to venture into Girl Drink Drunk territory. Keep the sugar to a minimum and let the strawberries and lime add a sweet-tart note. To keep things easy, I use simple syrup to sweeten the drink instead of cane syrup or bar sugar (a quick dissolving sugar). It’s very easy to make and can be used in a number of cocktails.

Strawberry Mojito

Makes 1 drink – can easily be multiplied

5 large mint leaves

1 to 1-1/2 oz. simple syrup (see recipe below)

3 large or 5 small very ripe strawberries, hulled and cut into a small dice

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice – from about 2 limes

1-1/2 oz. white rum

Club soda

Ice

Fresh mint and a strawberry to garnish

In a highball glass, add mint leaves and 1 oz. of simple syrup. Use a muddler or wooden spoon to mash the leaves in the syrup until they are broken up.

Add the strawberry pieces and mash them with the spoon until they are broken up and juicy.

Add ice cubes and pour in lime juice and rum. Stir until combined and top with club soda. Taste and add a bit more simple syrup if desired.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves and a strawberry.

Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is one part water, one part sugar so it can be adapted to any quantity. For a half cup of syrup you’ll need:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

In a small saucepan, add sugar and water and bring to a simmer on medium heat

Stir sugar until it dissolves. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool before using. Syrup can be stored in the fridge for a few days. Extra syrup can be used in a number of other cocktail recipes.

Chives are one of my favourite herbs and they couldn’t be easier to grow. Stick some in a pot or garden and they will reappear each spring without any tending, spreading and becoming more robust each year. The green chive stems can be used in a number of dishes and make a great garnish but their pretty purple blossoms are edible as well.

Chive blossoms: pretty decoration or delicious snack? They're both!

Chive blossoms can be dipped in a simple tempura batter and fried to make a delicious appetizer with a delicate oniony flavour. Tempura is a method of battering and frying seafood and vegetables that is popular in Japanese restaurants. It sounds exotic but requires nothing more than some pantry basics. Serve with cold beer, sake or sparkling wine.

Tempura Chive Blossoms

(VEGETARIAN)

Makes 30 to 35 blossoms

30 to 35 large chive blossoms with about 1″ of chive stem still attached

1 cup ice cold water (in a 2 cup measuring cup, add one cup of ice cubes and one cup of water – measure out 1 cup of water when ready to use)

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt plus extra for finishing

Oil for frying (preferably a neutral oil such as safflower)

Chopped chives for garnish

Lemon wedges (optional)

In a large bowl, add ice water and egg. Beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Add flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Whisk batter until completely smooth and combined.

Carefully place chive blossoms in batter and gently stir until blossoms are coated.

Heat enough oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan to measure about 1″ deep. Heat on high heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit or a small piece of bread can be fried to golden brown in about 10 seconds.

Carefully place about 10 of the blossoms in the oil, wiping off any excess batter against the edge of the bowl as you lift them out. You can use the stems to handle them.

Reduce the heat slightly to medium-high and fry the blossoms until golden brown, about two minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider to remove the blossoms and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Repeat with remaining blossoms, working in batches.

Sprinkle cooked blossoms generously with salt and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with lemon wedges if desired.

I was very excited yesterday to find the first Ontario strawberries of the season at the market. They were considerably more expensive than the anemic imported strawberries sitting next to them but their sweet flavour was worth the extra couple of dollars. They actually tasted the way strawberries should taste and not like half-ripe, flavourless berries that were shipped hundreds of miles! Hopefully the great weather we’ve been having this spring means we’ll have a long season to enjoy them.

Bigger isn't always better: The imported strawberry (left) may be big, but it doesn't have the juicy, bold flavour of the small, locally grown berry (right).

A perfectly ripe, in-season strawberry is pretty much perfect as-is but you can have fun with them too. They’re great in pies, shortcakes, jam or even cocktails but one of my favourite ways to enjoy them is sprinkled with a bit of sugar and topped with real whipped cream. Strawberry and vanilla-flecked cupcakes topped with creamy frosting and fresh berries turn this idea into a fun dessert that is perfect for summer gatherings. They’re sure to be a hit with kids of all ages (the last time I made them, they disappeared within minutes!).

It’s no secret that I love, love, love asparagus. Each spring, I anxiously await the arrival of local asparagus in the markets and then spend the next six weeks or so thinking up new ways to enjoy it. Luckily, asparagus is low in calories and packed with vitamins so there’s no reason not to indulge!

Local asparagus in season has a sweetness and vibrant flavour that isn’t found in imported spears that have travelled hundreds of miles. If you don’t believe me, do a blind taste test with imported asparagus vs. local – I guarantee you will be able to tell the difference. The best way to enjoy asparagus at its peak is simply cooked and dressed with just a bit of butter or olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. A squeeze of fresh lemon is also delicious.

How to Prepare Asparagus for Cooking

Asparagus doesn’t require much prep work to get it ready. Wash the spears and dry them thoroughly. The woody ends are tough so it’s best to remove them. If you hold an asparagus spear and bend it, it will naturally break where the tough part ends. However, I usually just trim the ends – cut where the ends turn from woody and pale to green and vibrant, usually an inch or two from the bottom. The spears can be peeled if the skin is tough and stringy, which sometimes happens with thicker spears. However, I usually don’t bother.

How to Cook Asparagus

Asparagus cooks quickly so it’s a great way to add a vegetable to the dinner menu. It’s also very versatile so it can be used in soups, lasagnas, pastas, tarts, quiches or stir fries. There are a number of ways it can be cooked:

Roasted: Toss asparagus with a bit of oil and roast in an even layer on a baking sheet at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes.

Steamed: Steam spears in a steamer basket or small amount of water until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Grilled: Prepare a hot grill and brush asparagus with a small amount of oil. Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side (you might want to use a grill pan, to keep the spears from falling through the grate).

Stir-Fried: Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet on high heat. Add asparagus and stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add a tablespoon of water or broth and cook until just tender, about 3 to 4 more minutes.

Asparagus Recipes

For more great asparagus recipe ideas, check out some of my archived recipes (including a couple of new ones!):

A Rhubarb Refresher is a delicious cocktail made with rhubarb, ginger and rum

Local rhubarb has just started appearing at markets in Southern Ontario and other areas won’t be far behind. The bracingly tart stalks are delicious in pies, tarts, drinks or even savoury dishes, provided you sweeten the fruit a bit.

This drink is a little sweet, a bit tart and has some heat from the ginger. It pairs well with rum to make a refreshing springtime cocktail that is perfect for entertaining. For a non-alcoholic version, skip the rum and top the rhubarb-ginger syrup with club soda and a squeeze of lemon.

Rhubarb Refresher

Makes 2 drinks

Ice

1-1/3 cups Rhubarb-Ginger Syrup (see recipe below)

3 oz. amber rum

A generous squeeze of lemon

Club soda, to top drinks

Lemon wedges for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rhubarb-ginger syrup, rum and a squeeze of lemon. Shake well and strain into two low-ball glasses or martini glasses. Top with club soda and garnish with lemon wedges.

Rhubarb-Ginger Syrup

Makes about 1-1/3 cup

4 cups chopped rhubarb, cut into 1″ pieces (about 3 to 4 stalks)

3/4 to 1 cup sugar, to taste

1 cup water

2″ piece of fresh ginger (about the diameter of a nickel), peeled and grated

In a saucepan, add all ingredients and bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

Mash fruit well with a spoon. Strain into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer, using a spoon to extract as much juice as possible (the leftover fruit solids are delicious to eat).

Let syrup cool and use as desired. It will keep covered in the fridge for a few days.

Fiddleheads are only available for a short time each spring so enjoy them while you can!

When I was growing up in rural New Brunswick, we would pick fiddleheads every spring along the river near my parents’ house. Because fiddleheads aren’t grown commercially, they are truly a seasonal treat and are only available for a short time each year. However, many supermarkets and farmer’s markets sell them and sometimes frozen fiddleheads can be found out of season. They are delicious in soups, salads, quiches, pickled or just cooked simply and topped with a bit of butter. Be sure to cook them well – there have been some reports of food borne illness related to undercooked fiddleheads. Cooking them thoroughly will also remove any bitter flavour that may be present in the ferns.

This salad makes a great side dish for an Asian inspired dinner. Why not serve it with some grilled salmon with a light teriyaki glaze and steamed rice? Pair with a crisp white wine such as a dry riesling.

3 Tablespoons peanut oil or other neutral oil such as canola or safflower (avoid using peanut oil if there is a concern about peanut allergies)

½ teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1 Tablespoon dark sodium-reduced soy sauce

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, very finely minced

Directions:

Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set aside.

Fill a saucepan with enough water to just cover 4 cups of fiddleheads and bring to a boil. Add fiddleheads and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain fiddleheads and plunge immediately into the ice water to stop cooking. Drain again and place on a dishtowel or paper towel to dry thoroughly.

Place cooked fiddleheads and green onion slices in a bowl and toss with vinaigrette until dressing evenly coats the fiddleheads. Place salads on a plate and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and a sprinkling of green onion slices.

Roasted Asparagus Lasagna is a delicious way to enjoy the seasonal delicacy

Asparagus is finally in season and I couldn’t be happier. I absolutely love asparagus and for the few short weeks it’s at its peak I go a bit nuts and eat it almost every day. Perhaps it’s my imagination but this year’s crop seems to be especially delicious, possibly because of the unusually mild and dry spring we’ve had in Southern Ontario. Last night I sautéed some in olive oil and added a splash of water to steam them until tender-crisp. Sprinkled with a bit of sea salt, the fat spears were sweet and delicious. I look forward to enjoying more over the next few weeks.

While a simple preparation is a great way to show off top notch ingredients, occasionally something fancier is in order. A decadent roasted asparagus lasagna fits the bill perfectly: roasted asparagus bathed in a luxurious cheese sauce and baked until bubbling will tempt even die hard carnivores. Serve with a lightly dressed green salad to cut the richness.

Spread asparagus pieces on a baking sheet in one layer. Roast in the oven for 12 minutes, until spears are just beginning to soften. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly.

While asparagus is roasting, prepare sauce. In a large saucepan, heat butter on medium heat until fully melted and beginning to bubble slightly. Add flour and whisk briskly until incorporated into butter.

Cook butter and flour mixture for about 2 minutes. Add one cup of the milk, whisking constantly. As the mixture begins to thicken slightly (about 2 minutes), add the second cup of milk and repeat the process for the third cup. Continue to stir sauce so it doesn’t burn or turn lumpy.

Add nutmeg, parmesan cheese and garlic to the sauce. Stir thoroughly until cheese is melted. Season with salt to taste. Remove sauce from the heat.

In a dish approximately 9” X 12” X 3”, spread 1/3 of the roasted asparagus spears evenly on the bottom. Drizzle 1/3 of the sauce over asparagus. Top with a layer of fresh lasagna noodles, cut to fit the pan.

Repeat the layers: asparagus, sauce and noodles, asparagus, sauce. Make sure the final layer is sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella, asiago and parmesan cheeses.

Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

To serve: let the lasagna cool for about 20 minutes. Use a very sharp knife to slice through the asparagus. Accompany with a salad and crusty bread.